Marcus Vitruvius Pollio Quotes

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Architects should be educated, skillful with the pencil, instructed in geometry, know much history, have followed the philosophers with attention, understand music, have some knowledge of medicine, know the opinions of the jurists, and be acquainted with astronomy and the theory of the heavens

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Medicine, Heaven, Attention

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I, Section 3,

87 Copy quote
Architecture depends on Order, Arrangement, Eurythmy, Symmetry , Propriety , and Economy.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Order, Architecture, Economy

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter II: "The Fundamental Principles of Architecture", Section 1,

65 Copy quote
Architect's designs must refer to the unquestionable perfection of the body's symmetry and proportions. If a building is to create a sense of eurythmia, it is essential that it mirrors these natural laws of harmony and beauty

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Mirrors, Law, Perfection

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Beauty is produced by the pleasing appearance and good taste of the whole, and by the dimensions of all the parts being duly proportioned to each other.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Taste, Dimensions, Appearance

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.15

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A harmonious design requires that nothing be added or taken away.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Inspirational, Taken, Design

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The architect must not only understand drawing, but music.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Drawing, Architecture, Architect

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Nothing requires the architect's care more than the due proportions of buildings.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Careers, Architecture, Building

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.170

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Proportion is that agreeable harmony between the several parts of a building, which is the result of a just and regular agreement of them with each other; the height to the width, this to the length, and each of these to the whole.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Agreement, Height, Harmony

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.12

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If our designs for private houses are to be correct, we must at the outset take note of the countries and climates in which they are built.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Country, House, Design

"De architectura (Ten Books on Architecture)". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Book VI, Chapter I, Section 1), circa 15 BC.

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There will be natural propriety in using an eastern light for bedrooms and libraries, a western light in winter for baths and winter apartments, and a northern light for picture galleries and other places in which a steady light is needed; for that quarter of the sky grows neither light nor dark with the course of the sun, but remains steady and unshifting all day long.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Dark, Winter, Light

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter II, Section 7,

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In fact, all kinds of men, and not merely architects, can recognize a good piece of work.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Men, Pieces, Facts

"De architectura (Ten Books on Architecture)". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Book VI, Chapter VIII, Section 10), circa 15 BC.

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Geometry is of much assistance in architecture, and in particular it teaches us the use of the rule and compasses, by which especially we acquire readiness in making plans for buildings in their grounds, and rightly apply the square, the level, and the plummet. By means of optics the light in buildings can be drawn from fixed quarters of the sky. Difficult questions involving symmetry are solved by means of geometrical theories and methods.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Mean, Squares, Light

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I, Section 4,

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The [engineer] should be equipped with knowledge of many branches of study and varied kinds of learning, for it is by his judgement that all work done by the other arts is put to test. This knowledge is the child of practice and theory.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Art, Children, Practice

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I: "The Education of the Architect", Section 1,

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It is no secret that the moon has no light of her own, but is, as it were, a mirror, receiving brightness from the influence of the sun.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Moon, Mirrors, Light

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book IX, Chapter II, Section 3,

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An architect ought to be an educated man so as to leave a more lasting remembrance in his treatises.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Men, Remembrance, Architect

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I, Section 4,

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If then, at this great distance, our human vision can discern that sight, why, pray, are we to think that the divine splendor of the stars can be cast into darkness?

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Stars, Distance, Thinking

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Consistency is found in that work whose whole and detail are suitable to the occasion. It arises from circumstance, custom, and nature.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Consistency, Details, Found

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.12

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For we must not build temples according to the same rules to all gods alike, since the performance of the sacred rites varies with the various gods.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Sacred, Temples, Rite

"De architectura (Ten Books on Architecture)". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Book IV, Chapter VIII, Section 6), circa 15 BC.

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For not all things are practicable on identical principles

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Principles, Identical, All Things

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In accordance with the foregoing investigations on mathematical principles, let bronze vessels be made, proportionate to the size of the theatre, and let them be so fashioned that, when touched, they may produce with one another the notes of the fourth, the fifth, and so on up the double octave.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Theatre, Principles, May

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book V, Chapter V, Section 1,

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Bricks will be most serviceable if made two years before using; for they cannot dry thoroughly in less time. When fresh undried bricks are used in a wall, the stucco covering stiffens and hardens into a permanent mass, but the bricks settle and the motion caused by their shrinking prevents them from adhering to it, and they are separated from their union with it. At Utica in constructing walls they use brick only if it is dry and made five years previously, and approved as such by the authority of a magistrate.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Wall, Years, Two

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book II, Chapter III, Section 2,

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A liberal education forms a single body. Those, therefore, who from tender years receive instruction in the various forms of learning, recognize the same stamp on all the arts, and an intercourse between all studies, and so they more readily comprehend them all.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Art, Years, Body

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I, Section 12,

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Harmony is an obscure and difficult musical science, but most difficult to those who are not acquainted with the Greek language; because it is necessary to use many Greek words to which there are none corresponding in Latin.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Latin, Greek, Musical

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.134

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All machinery is derived from nature, and is founded on the teaching and instruction of the revolution of the firmament.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Teaching, Revolution, Instruction

"The Ten Books On Architecture". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, Book X, Chapter I, Sec. 4, c. 15 BC.

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Noting all these things with the great delight which learning gives, we cannot but be stirred by these discoveries when we reflect upon the influence of them one by one.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Discovery, Giving, Delight

"De architectura (Ten Books on Architecture)". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Book IX, Introuction, Section 14), circa 15 BC.

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Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

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Born: 81 BC
Died: 15
Occupation: Author
Cite this Page: Citation

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